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Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) warms up as Brian Hoyer (6) watches before Thursday's preseason game against Chicago. Hoyer led a 85-yard TD drive and was finished for the night.
(Tony Dejak)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Mike Pettine declared Brian Hoyer one and done, which isn't the same as ready for Pittsburgh but on this night it had to do.

Pittsburgh-primed wasn't an option. So Pettine got his No. 1 offense out of there on a high note, or at least a higher note than it hit all preseason.

There wasn't anything more to gain against the Bears Double A and Triple A lineups after Hoyer directed a 13-play 85-yard touchdown drive on the Browns' first possession.

Prior to that score, the most consistency the Browns showed in preseason was winning two coin tosses in a row. So at the first glimpse of good work, Pettine closed the curtain on dress rehearsal season.

Should the No. 1 offense have played longer? No. Not a week after the Sam Bradford injury, not after Hoyer took a helmet to the stomach. Not when the competition didn't merit a chance for the Browns to really feel good about themselves.

Pettine got what he wanted.

The rookie head coach deferred after winning the coin flip Thursday, also for the second consecutive week. It's hard to say why he does that in preseason when the Browns need as many repetitions as possible in Kyle Shanahan's offense. But it was clear on this night that Hoyer and the No. 1 offense probably wouldn't need or get more than one series.

Hoyer made it a decent one despite missing tight end Jordan Cameron in the end zone on a rollout ("He was so open it freaked me out," said Hoyer) and needing a roughing the passer penalty to keep hope alive. He completed passes of 17, 13 and 21 yards along the way. That doesn't sound like much, but given the short-route passing game in the first three exhibitions it's surprising Taylor Gabriel and Andrew Hawkins didn't require supplemental oxygen.

When the Browns scored, ballcarrier Ben Tate did the First Energy Flop into the stands. A good time was had by some, because only some were there.

The final exhibition game is a tough sell for fans. Especially with no quarterback decision riding on the performance. And, in this case, so soon after the NFL suspended Josh Gordon for the season.

All anyone can do is wait and hope that a touchdown drive in the fourth exhibition game is enough to propel and sustain some measure of confidence between now and Sept. 7.

Think of Thursday night as a therapy session. A cure for what ails this offense wasn't possible in one night.

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